Five hikers rescued near Ramona

EAST COUNTY  Five women were airlifted from a hiking trail near Ramona Tuesday night after one of them suffered heat exhaustion symptoms and could not walk.

The hikers were on a trail that leads from San Diego Country Estates to Cedar Creek Falls about 9 p.m. when they called for help, sheriff’s Deputy Scott Bligh said.

The 20-year-old victim and one of the other women in the group were picked up and flown to the Ramona Fire Department near the San Vicente Golf Resort where the woman was treated by emergency personnel.

The sheriff's helicopter then returned to the area and picked up the rest of the group because they were unfamiliar with the rugged trail and could have gotten lost in the darkness, Bligh said.